High Fashion, Baby Faces The Flipside Of Kids Wear Fashion GLOBAL VIEW A NEW FASHION ERA
The modern kid being much more self and fashion conscious, kids fashion has taken off in to a new era as kids are more up to date with modern fashion trends. Gone are the days when mom or dad would go to the store and buy a plain white t-shirt and a pair of outdated looking faded blue jeans. In these modern times, children have become fashion fanatics. They know all they latest trends better than the adults do. It is certainly evident that young parents have passed on their trendy style to their kids.
But this change in the kids wear fashion scenario has its upside and downside. Although I am basically going to discuss the darker shades of this phenomenon categorically as explained in the slide that follows. SUB TOPICS
What are all the kids wear High Fashion Brands Available in the market? Are these really for kids?
Are high end clothes for kids worth the Hefty Price Tags?
The unethical nature of advertisements and the ridiculous marketing strategies of certain international brands for children.
Kids wear fashion blogs influence children with their jilted idea of style, featuring kids who look like \mini adults[ HIGH FASHION KIDSWEAR BRANDS While I maintain there is nothing wrong with children being fashion fanatics, why do these high fashion brands have to project these children in such an adult manner. The advertisements below exude the essence of these names but for a kids wear collection they could, in my opinion opt for Something more age appropriate. Mostly dull or completely neutral color palettes. Adult sensibilities in terms of body language and attitude. Where is the Innocence? CONCLUSION
This remains to be a debatable subject.
Some parents may feel that that this new era of fashion defines the younger generations today, modern and forward thinking, self conscious and aware.
Others believe that the media and the internet has taken away the innocence of children exposing them to \too much[ and \too fast[. They want their children to take their own time to grow up, think like children and talk like children. Not to mention dress like children instead of looking like miniature versions of catalogue models. KIDSWEAR!!! HEFTY PRICE TAGS Kids should be able to roll around in the mud without having to worry their parents about the cost of their clothes!! Thomas: Catimini cardigan $137 IKKS top $62 Jeans ,Country Road $54.90 Shoes Pumpkin Patch $49.99
Miah: Chipie hat and scarf set $104 Jean Bourget jacket $133 Catimini top $74 Chipie skirt $133 Boots Country Road $89.95 Designer by the name of \Neiman Marcus[ recently came out with a new collection of kids fashions called "Just Kidding." $280 for a raincoat $240 for a dress for preschoolers $310 for the matching boots $100 jeans for toddlers $245 coat for tweens $85 for a cotton T-shirt
One look at those prices had me asking: Is Neiman Marcus "Just Kidding"? READERS RESPOND- Are High End Jeans for Kids Worth the Hefty Price Tags?
My opinion Personally as a teenager i like having designer jeans but i would never be able to afford them new. If you shop around and buy them used you can pay the same price as a cheap pair of jeans. I personally think that the fit and look is much nicer but if bought for a younger child then the pants should only be used on nicer occasions and if you do have the money for them then get them (they are worth it).
My jeans don't cost that much! I have to say, when I see little kids wearing $200 jeans, my blood boils. It's not just that it's a waste of money to buy something like that for someone who's going to grow out of it in six months. It's that kids should be able to roll around in the mud in their play clothes and not worry about their parents freaking out about the cost. CONCLUSION
Go For It--In Moderation!
You can dress your kids in designer duds like Armani Junior and Burberry BUT not to the playground. They wear these while on a Special occasions or while going to the theatre. Basically when they are less likely to get them dirty. And if you find they are outgrowing them, just get them a size bigger and have them tailored, and retailor them when they grow a bit. They can wear cheaper brands like Old Navy while at the playground. Do I think it's worth it? only if youre not straining your pocket at all by purchasing these items. UNETHICAL NATURE OF ADVERTISEMENTS AND RIDICULOUS MARKETING STRATEGIES MARKETING SEX TO CHILDREN \A lot of very sexual products are being marketed to very young kids Media present girls sexuality in a way thats tied to their profit motives.[ When a teen TV sensation was pictured nearly nude in a Vanity Fair magazine controversy erupted. The sexualization of Ztween girls, girls between the ages of 8 and 12, is a growing problem fueled by marketers efforts to create cradle-to-grave consumers, Ms. Durham explained. CORROSIVE ADVERTISMENTS OR SIMPLY AGE INAPPROPRIATE
Youre walking down the street, advertisement for children. Its either portraying women as sexual playthings or sexualizing children.. or reinforcing caustic gender stereotypes. It fills you with fury. This magazine advertisement showed a photo of a long-haired, topless boy wearing baggy jeans and a necklace. Complainants said the advert sexualised the child, particularly because its gender was ambiguous. The ASA concluded it likely to cause serious or widespread offence. Taylor Momsen of gossip girl fame is the face of Madonna and her daughter Lourdes fashion line \material girl[, , but it has been criticised for being too sexy. Momsen is pictured in the publicity for the launch chained to a fence. Is this the sort of advertising we expect to be targeted at teenage girls? Were just advertising clothes, honest! The clothes themselves arent too bad, although theres more emphasis on the will-be-a-bust-one-day area than I am comfortable with in the detailing, and some of the low neckline/spaghetti strap combinations seem unnecessarily revealing. ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS MARKETING STRATEGIES
British supermarket giant Tesco was criticised for selling padded plunge-bras to girls as young as seven. In 2006, the retail chain was forced to remove a children's pole- dancing kit. The Lingerie chain La Senza was forced to remove its range of underwear that was targeted to five-year old girls with the slogan "Why should grown-ups have all the fun.
The range "Little Miss Naughty" was also boycotted for selling padded bras for the 7 year olds. FEW EXAMPLES OF THE SILLIEST TO DOWNRIGHT UNACCEPTABLE PRODUCTS DESIGNED FOR OUR LITTLE ONES
1. 2. 3. Disney caused a stir a couple years back for for endorsing underwear for girls that said "dive in." You want to excuse it as a harmless mistake, but what was that supposed to mean??? 4. Diapers are disposable items so what sense does this make??? 5. Finally! Baby stilettos have hit the market to give those flab-filled baby calves some definition. They will be useful for the girls who loved the pole-dancing doll and moved on to this!!!! BENEFICIARIES OF SUCH ADVERTISING HARSH REALITY
Sex offenders and people with paedophilic tendencies Of particular concern is the potential impact of viewing such readily accessible sexualised images of children, such as those found in advertising.
The fact that advertisements can be identified as containing sexualised images of children with the aim of appealing to adults, is alarming.
Corporate Paedophilia (2006), documents details of complaints about Such advertisements to the Advertising Standards Bureau (ASB).
[the sexualisation of children also risks normalising and possibly encouraging paedophilic sexual desire for children[. EFFECTS UPON CHILDREN BESIDES A DIMINISHING CHILDHOOD
These messages ultimately contribute to the growing phenomena of a shortened or reduced childhood and a quicker transition to adolescence.
Even if the product is denied, and even if parents have educated the child in the importance of resisting peer pressure, fashion and marketing trends; and the intricacies of the corporate advertising world; children will inevitably be influenced by these forces as they make up part of .the social milieu that is the childs experience.
Sexualisation of children potentially places children at risk in relation to every major area of development and increases their likelihood of physical, psychological, sexual and attitudinal harm. Parent Education is Important To Control This Rising Issue
As part of assisting parents to better protect their children, it is recommended that parent education form part of a solution focused strategy.
With the aim of reducing the impact of the sexualisation of children. Parents and the community more broadly, need to be educated about the potentially harmful effects of the premature sexualisation of children and to carefully consider the developmental appropriateness of merchandise they purchase for their children.
Supervising wise choices for children in an increasingly consumerist society are greater than ever. FASHION BLOGS FOR KIDS
Latest kids fashion online Dress you children like celebrities How a group of 14-year-old eighth-graders became the edgiest fashion editorial crew in L.A.
The photo blog, which is shot guerilla-style all over L.A., is produced and operated by five 14-year-old eighth graders. Have been snapping fashion stories since they were in the fifth grade. These kids are talented without a doubt, will make brilliant stylists and photographers, but they are only fourteen. And fourteen year olds just simply dont look like that.
Such blogs send out an idea of fashion that is far too \grown up[ and \promiscuous[ for a tender age of 14. \Scene kids love to wear trendier and chic clothes and shoes rather than the worn out or dull looking dresses and archetypal hairstyles of emo kids. If you are wondering if you could also wear scene kids like clothes, yes, you can easily do it but you must have some courage to wear bold and funky scene style clothes and pull off short hairstyles with bright colored highlights. Last but not the least, scene kids also love to wear some makeup and couple of tattoos, so keep in mind that scene kids makeover would not be complete with scene kids fashion.[ AS QUOTED BY A WEBSITE PROMOTING THIS FASHION SUBCULTURE MORE PICTURES FROM FASHION BLOGS FOR CHILDREN Many advertisements and blogs have young nice looking people on them. They are wearing skimpy clothes and have sexual movements. Many TV shows and movies are the same.Stores that are geared to 11yr. olds up to teen years have clothes that are sexually provocative.
We have singers who sing about sex and wear clothes that cover very little. Our children are idolizing these people. They want all the same clothes these fashionable children are promoting through blogs.
As parents we have a responsibility to make sure our children know the difference between right and wrong. We teach them not to steal, cheat, or lie. Yet, we are letting our children dress the wrong way.
Our teenagers are having sex earlier. And a lot of this is the parents' fault. Boys are showing off what they can, and girls are showing all they can. As parents we are forgetting that there are hormones involved and peer pressure. We as parents should not be allowing girls wear sexually provocative clothing. We should be teaching our son's to respect girls. INFERENCE FINAL CONCLUSION It is disturbing that there is a market for such 'fashion' and a plethora of designers creating these products for both chain-store retailers and niche boutiques for childrens clothing.
Peer pressure both within adult and childrens social environment propagates a market of consumers wishing to conform with received notions of "cool[.
Sociologists and researchers in related fields claim that such advertising is a "distorted mirror" of society that reinforces harmful values and symbols.
It is not a recent phenomenon. Twenty years ago, jeans adverts showed a young girl discarding her doll with a caption saying " 13 going on 18\.
One of the most important ingredients of fashion is to stimulate sexual consciousness.
Marketing messages to children that urge: "You're already an adult / it's okay to dress and act sexy right now\ to have a detrimental effect on how children see themselves and causing behavioural and image problems in their teens. Many parents happily purchase these products for their kids without interrogating the harmful psycho-social drivers and effects of this consumption.
The fact that adults purchase this sort of clothing for their children illustrates that unfortunately not all parents and adults make appropriate choices for children.
Given that not all parents and adults make sensible or wise choices for children, as evidenced by the apparent demand for childrens clothing carrying sexualised messages, it is incumbent upon society, governments and legislators to protect children by putting in place appropriate measures to prevent the production and manufacturing of clothing with abusive, derogatory and sexualised messages.